Solar heating apparatus



Nov. 13, 1956 A. TARCICI 2,770,229

SOLAR HEATING APPARATUS Filed Oct. '7, 1952 2 Sheets-Shae; 2

I N VEN TOR.

ADP/AN TARC|C| BY United States Patent SOLAR HEATING APPARATUS Adnan Tarcici, Halba Akkar, Lebanon Application October 7, 1952, Serial No. 313,490 Claims priority, application Switzerland August 27, 1949 12 Claims. (Cl. 126-470) The'present invention relates to a heating apparatus.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a heating apparatus which is adapted to concentrate the rays of the sun within a given area so as to heat an article located at this area. i

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 275,530, filed March 8, 1952, and entitled Solar Heating Apparatus, which is in turn a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 181,076, filed August 23, 1950, and entitled Sun-Operated Heating Devices.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a simple apparatus for heating articles, such as food and the like, by the rays of the sun. For example, the heat may be applied to a water distillation apparatus.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of the above type which may be easily taken apart and put together so that the apparatus may be conveniently carried about and set up at any desired location.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of the above type which is conveniently adjustable so as to be easily oriented in the best possible position with respect to the sun.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of the above-type with a carrier, for the article to be heated, which may be located in a horizontal supporting position irrespective of the position of the rest of the heating apparatus.

A still additional object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of the above type which is made up of relatively few, simple constructed parts, so that the entire apparatus is easy to manufacture and relatively inexpensive.

With the above objects in view, the present invention mainly consists of a solar heating apparatus including a post adapted to have one end thereof supported on the ground or the like. A universal joint is removably connected to the post at an end thereof opposite to said one end thereof. A reflector is connected at its center to the universal joint so as to be turnable in all directions with respect to the post. An elongated, rigid member is connected to the reflector, in front of the same, and extends along theoptical axis thereof. A carrier, adapted to carry an article to be heated, is connected to this elongated member at an end thereof distant from the reflector. This carrier is in the form of a flat support member having a pair of clamping members resiliently mounted thereonfor resiliently clamping an article to be heated on this flat support. The reflector is formed with an opening spaced from the center thereof, and a strut extends through this opening and is connected to the post and elongated, rigid member, respectively.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages. thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific whicha strut 29 extends.

embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a partly sectional, elevational view of an apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1, in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a view of a part of the apparatus of Fig. 1, taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, partly sectional view of a different embodiment of the apparatus of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. 1 an entire assembly of an apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention. This apparatus includes a post 10 which may have a bottom point-ed end 11 adapted to be inserted into the ground, as illustrated. Fixedly mounted on the post 10, adjacent the bottom end thereof is a collar 12 having hingedly connected thereto links 13 which in turn are pivotally connected to legs 14, the latter being pivotally connected to a sleeve 15 which is slidable along the post 10 and which may be fixed thereto at any desired position by means of a wing screw member 16 which abuts against the post 10 to fix sleeve 15 in an adjusted position thereon. In the particular example illustrated, there are three legs 14 connected to three links 13,

and these legs 14 serve to steady the post 10.

The post 10 is tubular, at least at the top end portion thereof, and a joint member 17 is provided with a bottom cylindrical part 18 and a shoulder 19, so that this joint member 17 is turnably mounted in the post 19 for turning movement about the axis thereof. Turnably connected to the joint member 17 is a joint member 20 which is fixedly connected to the center of a parabolic reflector 21, which may be collapsible, as illustrated in the related applications mentioned above at the beginning of this specification. The joint member 20 is connected to joint member 17 by means of a wing screw member 22 passing through aligned openings of these joint members and connected to a nut or to a threaded portion of the opening: in joint member 17 (not shown). Thus, the joint member 20 is turnable with respect to joint member 17 about an axis normal to the turning axis of joint member 17 and may be fixed at any desired position with respect to joint member 17, so that these joint members form a universal joint which permits the parabolic reflector 21 to be located at any desired position with respect to the sun.

The joint member 20 extends along the optical axis of reflector 21 and is tubular, in front of reflector 21, so as to receive an end portion of an elongated, rigid member 23 which may be removably fixed to joint member 20 by means of a wing screw 24 passing through the wall of member 20 and releasably pressing against the rigid member 23.

This elongated, rigid member 23 also extends along the optical axis of reflector 21, forming an extension of member 20, and this elongated, rigid member 23 is tubular, at least at its end portion distant from reflector 21, where it receives a cylindrical part 25 of a bifurcated carrier 26 for an article to be heated. Thus, this carrier 26 is turnable in the member 23 about the optical axis of the reflector 21 and may be releasably maintained in an adjusted position by the screw 27 which passes through the wall of member 23 and engages cylindrical part 25 of carrier 26.

The reflector 21 is formed with an opening 23 through This strut 29 is pivotally connected at one of its ends to a sleeve 34) which is slidable along the post 18 and which may be fixed thereto at any desired position by means of a wing screw 31 passing through the sleeve 30 and engaging the post 10. The opposite end of strut 29 is bent and formed at its free end with a forked portion 32 (Fig. 2) which is located about a pin 33 fixed to the rigid member 23 and having an enlarged end 34 greater thanthe space between the legs of the forked end 32 of member 29 and located on the opposite side of the latter from member 23. Thus, irrespective of the inclinationof post 23, the strut 29 may be located, by adjustment of sleeve 30 on post 10, in a position where it supports the member 23 so that the latter and the parts mounted thereon need not be supported solely by the frictional resistance between the joint members 17 and 20.

The carrier 26 (Fig. 3) includes a flat, grid-like plate 35 located between the legs 36 thereof. This grid-like plate 35 is provided with opposite threaded openings engaged by wing screw members 37 which respectively pass through openings in'the free end portions of legs 36, so that the plate 35 is turnable about an axis normal in the optical axis-of reflector 21 and may be fixed in a desired position by tightening the screws 37 so as to clamp the free ends of legs as against member 35. It is apparent that the turnable mounting of carrier 36 about the optical axis of reflection 21 in combination with the turning of plate 35 on legs 36 enables this plate 35 to be located in a horizontal position irrespective of the adjusted position of reflector 21.

On the top surface of plate 35 there are pivotally mounted a pair of clamping members 38 which have top curved edges 39, as illustrated in Fig. l. A pair of springs 46 are respectively connected to the clamping members 38 and the'plate 35 so as to urge these clamping members 38 toward each other and downwardly toward the plate 35. Thus, when a cooking utensil or the like 41, shown in dot-dash lines, is located between the members 38, the latter resiliently clamp such a utensil to maintain the same on the support 35. If desired, the springs 40 may be in the form of coil springs respectively located about thepivot pins of members 38 with one end of each spring fixed to plate 35 and the other end urging a member 38 downwardly.

Fig. 4 of the drawings illustrates a variation of the above-described structure where all parts are the same as those described above except that the joint member 20, which is fixed to the reflector 21 at the center thereof and extends along the optical axis thereof, is fixedly connected to a ball member 42 which cooperates with a socket member 43 removably connected to the top of post by means of a depending cylindrical-part 44 fixed to the socket 43 and clamped to the interior of post 10' by a screw member 45 passing through the wall of post 10 and engaging part 44. A screw member 46 passes through socket 43 and releasably engages ball member 42 so that the ball and socket joint may be maintained in an adjusted position. Thus, with the structure of Fig. 4 it is unnecessary to turn the cylindrical part 44 about the axis of post 10. Turning movement of the reflector 21' in all directions with respect to post It) is obtainable by the ball and socket joint 42, 43. Except for the above described distinction in this ball and socket joint, the apparatus of Fig. 4 is identical withthat of Figs. 13.

It is believed to be apparent that the above-described structure not only provides a simple and efiicient apparatus for heating an article by the rays of the sun, but also this structure may be easily assembled and disassembled. Considering, for example, the disassembly of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1, after the utensil 41 is removed from the carrier 26, the latter may be very quickly and easily removed from the elongated, rigid member 23 by loosening the screw 27 and moving the cylindrical part 25 out of the member 23. Then this latter member is quickly and easily disconnected from joint member 20 by loosening the screw 24 and moving the member 23 out of the part 20. It will be noted that during this operation the pin 33 simply moves out of the forked end portion 32 of strut 29. Then the reflector 21, with the joint 17, 20 connected thereto, may simply be lifted oil.

'4 of the post 10 so that the cylindrical part 18 moves out of the latter,-and during this operation the opening 28 of reflector 21 moves along the strut 29 over the end portion 32 thereof so that the reflector 21 is completely separated from the apparatus. (In the case of the embodiment of Fig. 4, this removal of the reflector is identical with that described above except that the screw 45 is first loosened to permit the member 44 to be lifted out of the post 10, thispart 44 moving together with the joint 42, 43 and the reflector 21'.) Then the sleeve 31 may be loosened and moved together with the strut 29 completely off of the post 10 or clamped to a top part thereof, if desired. Finally, the post 10 may be removed from the ground, and the sleeve 15 moved upwardly along the post 10, after loosening the screw 16, so as to locate the legs 14 along and next to the post 10. The assembly of the structure is simply the reserve of the above-described disassembly.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of solar'heatin'g apparatus ditfering'from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a solar heating apparatus which is portable and capable of being assembled and disassembled, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. Solar heating apparatus, comprising, in combination, a post adapted to have one end thereof supported on the ground or the like; universal joint means located on said post at an end opposite to said one end'thereof; a reflector connected at its center to said universaljoint means so as to be turnable in all directions with respect to said post; an elongated, rigid-member connected to said reflector, located in front of the same, and extending along the optical axis thereof; and carrier means, adapted to-carry'an article to be heated, adjust-ably connected to said elongated member at an end thereof distant from said reflector for providing, irrespective of'the inclination of the reflector, an upper horizontal surface to receive the article to be heated.

2. Solar heating apparatus, comprising,'incombination, a post adapted to have-one end thereof supported on'the ground or the like; universal joint means located on said post at an end opposite to said one end thereof; areflector connected at its center to said universal joint means so as to be turnable in all directions with respectto said post and said reflector being formed with an opening passing therethrough and spaced from the center thereof; an elongated, rigid member connected to said reflector, located in front of the same, and extending along the optical axis thereof; a carrier, adapted to carry an article to be heated, adjustably connected to said elongated member at an end thereof distant from said reflector; and an elongated strut passing through said opening of said reflector and being connected to said post and said elongated, rigid member.

3. Solar heating apparatus, comprising, in combination, a post adapted to have one end thereof supported on the ground or the like; universal joint means "located on said post 'at'an end opposite to said oneend thereof;

a reflector connected at its center to said universal joint means so as to be turnable in all directions with respect to said post; an elongated, n'gid member connected to said reflector, located in front of the same, and extending along the optical axis thereof; and 'acarrier, adapted to carry an article to be heated, adjustably connected to said elongated member at an end thereof distant from said reflector, said carrier being in the form of a bifurcated member having opposite legs and a support extending between said legs and being adjustably connected thereto.

4. Solar heating apparatus, comprising, in combination, a post adapted to have one end thereof supported on the ground or the like; universal joint means located on said post at an end opposite to said one end thereof; a reflector connected at its center to said universal joint means so as to be turnable in all directions with respect to said post; an elongated, rigid member connected to said reflector, located in front of the same, and extending along the optical axis thereof; and a carrier, adapted to carry an article to be heated, connected to said elongated member at an end thereof distant from said reflector, said carrier being in the form of a bifurcated member having opposite legs and a support extending between said legs and being adjustably connected thereto, said bifurcated member being turnably mounted on said elongated, rigid member for turning movement about the optical axis of said reflector and said support being pivotally mounted on said legs of said bifurcated member for turning movement about an axis normal to said optical axis so that said support may be located in a horizontal plane irrespective of the inclination of said elongated, rigid member.

5. Solar heating apparatus, comprising, in combination, a post adapted to have one end thereof supported on the ground or the like; universal joint means located on said post at an end opposite to said one end thereof; a reflector connected at its center to said universal joint means so as to be turnable in all directions with respect to said post; an elongated, rigid member connected to said reflector, located in front of the same, and extending along the optic-a1 axis thereof; and a carrier, adapted to carry an article to be heated, connected to said elongated member at an end thereof distant from said reflector, said carrier being in the form of a bifurcated member having opposite legs and a support extending between said legs and being adjustably connected thereto, said bifurcated member being turnably mounted on said elongated, rigid member for turning movement about the optical axis of said reflector and said support being pivotally mounted on said legs of said bifurcated member for turning movement about an axis normal to said optical axis so that said support may be located in a horizontal plane irrespective of the inclination of said elongated, rigid member, a pair of clamping members turnably mounted on said support for movement toward and away from each other, and a pair of resilient means respectively connected to said clamping members for urging the same toward said support, so that an article to be heated may be located on said support between said clamping members and resiliently clamped by the same.

6. Solar heating apparatus, comprising, in combination, a post adapted to have one end thereof supported on the ground or the like; universal joint means removably connected to said post at an end opposite to said one end thereof; a reflector removably connected at its center to said universal joint means so as to be turnable in all directions with respect to said post; an elongated, rigid member removably connected to said reflector, located in front of the same, and extending along the optical axis thereof; and carrier means, adapted to carry an article to be heated, adjustably and removably connected to said elongated member at an end thereof distant from said reflector for providing, irrespective of and spaced from the center thereof; an elongated, rigid member removably connected to said reflector, located in front of the same, and extending along the optical axis thereof; a carrier, adapted to carry an article to be heated, adjustably and removably connected to said elongated member at an end thereof distant from said reflector; and an elongated strut passing through said opening of said reflector and being connected to said post and said elongated, rigid member.

8. A solar heating apparatus, comprising, in combination, a post adapted to have one end supported on the ground or the like; a reflector removably connected at its center to the top end of said post, said reflector being formed with an opening passing therethrough and spaced from the center thereof; an elongated rigid member extending along the optical axis of said reflector in front of the same and being joined to said reflector adjacent the center thereof; and a strut extending through said reflector opening, being connected at one: end tocsaid post and at an opposite end to said elongated rigid member.

9. A solar heating apparatus, comprising, in combination, a post adapted to have one end supported on the ground or the like; a reflector removably connected at its center to the top end of said post, said reflector being formed with an opening passing therethrough and spaced from the center thereof; an elongated rigid member extending along the optical axis of said reflector in front of the same and being joined to said reflector adjacent the center thereof; a pin having an enlarged end and being fixed at an end opposite said enlarged end thereof to said elongated rigid member; and a strut extending through said reflector opening, being connected at one end to said post and at an opposite end to said elongated rigid member, said opposite end of said strut being forked and located about said pin between said enlarged end thereof and said elongated rigid member.

10. A solar heating apparatus, comprising, in combination, a post adapted to have one end supported on the ground or the like; universal joint means connected to said post at an end opposite said one end thereof; a reflector fixed at the center thereof to said universal joint means so as to be movable in all directions with respect to said post, said reflector being formed with an opening passing therethrough and formed with an opening thereof; a sleeve adjustably fixed to said post for slidable movement therealong; an elongated rigid member extending along the optical axis of said reflector in front of the same and being joined to said reflector adjacent the center thereof; and a strut extending through said reflector opening and being turnably connected at one end to said sleeve and being removably connected at an opposite end to said elongated rigid member.

11. A solar heating apparatus as defined in claim 1, and wherein said universal joint means is in the form of a ball and socket joint.

12. A solar heating apparatus as defined in claim 1, and wherein said universal joint means is in the form of a first joint member turnably mounted on said post for turning movement about the axis thereof and a second joint member connected to said reflector and being joined 'to said first joint member for turning movement with respect to the same about an axis normal to the axis of said post.

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8 Le ininger "-2 Dec. 23, 1902 Hawthorne et a1. Oct. 23, 1906 Crist Feb.- 22, 1916 Kossmann Oct. 22, 1918 FOREIGN PATENTS France Oct. 15, 1920 Franee; Mar. 24, 1933 

